Big Swole always believed in the AEW women's division.
Just before the pandemic started and then through the pandemic, Big Swole was heavily featured on AEW television as she feuded with Britt Baker. Though her time on Dynamite slowed in 2021, there was an overall uptick in how much the division was featured on television thanks to new faces and the introduction of the AEW TBS Championship.
Fans often criticized the lack of television time for the women's division going into 2021 and Swole says she was tasked with doing what she could to help the division backstage.
"Even though I was going through the health issues and racial tension, what kept me going was my belief in the division," Swole said on her Call In show, referencing her Chron's disease and backlash from fans for wearing a BLM armband. "That was something that the higher ups kinda saw in me. There is no kinda, they truly did see in me. There was a void in the division because we didn't know what was going on. Kenny [Omega] was in the process of doing what he was doing and we were like, 'who is running the division?' Everyone is going to separate people, there are different stories, flopping everywhere. During this time, (Awesome) Kong was gone filming, so we didn't have anyone over the division. I remember being outside and being approached by TK [Tony Khan] and Matt Hardy. We were in a circle and they went, 'Hey, we want you to be the sheriff for the women's division.' That's where the nickname 'Swolice came from.' Anytime I came around they were like, '[cop siren noise], Shit, it's the Swolice.' Anything that needed to be handled, I was on it. I guess that's why some of the ladies called me Momma Swole. If they needed something taken care of, Momma Swole would be on it. That's what kept me going. I believed in the division."
Swole continued, discussing how and what she tried to do to keep the division together.
"We had so much crap. I couldn't believe we were keeping it together because there was chaos in the sense that no one knows what they were doing. When no one knows what they are doing and they're just doing stuff for the sake of doing stuff, it's going to tire out really quickly. We would have these meetings and start training and get some clarity about what was happening. I would have meetings with higher ups to try to figure out what we could do. 'We could do a camp to better the women's division. We can have Jazz come in or George South. We can do something with Dustin or Cody in Georgia or Texas and get the ladies together and get this comrade together. If we're only seeing each other once a week and training is not mandatory, how am I supposed to get that chemistry? We need to work on that. We talk to each other and everyone has their own cliques, but we need chemistry.' It's not like we were working these ladies on the Indies. We weren't out there shooting in the gym together. That's where my head was leading into 2021. Just being a leader, trying to do something, trying to help, trying to sit at the table where you press the buttons with the headset, trying to help with matches," she said.
Swole made sure to mention that it wasn't just her putting in the work, saying others were working hard as well and singled out Abadon
"It wasn't just me," she stated. "Some of the ladies were really putting forth effort to better the division completely. You could tell they were working their ass off. Like Abadon. She worked her ass off. When she came in, I remember how emotional she would get when she couldn't get something in training. To see her blossom to this confident woman who, when she does things in the ring, you can see the intent and her coming into her character. When I tell you I'm so proud of her, she is wonderful. I can't sing her praises enough. She is amazing. I wish I could have had a storyline with her."
Swole last wrestled on the September 21 episode of AEW Dark, defeating Allie Katch. Swole announced on November 30 that she and AEW had agreed to mutually part ways, though AEW President Tony Khan has stated that he decided to not renew Swole's contract, something that Fightful reported back in November.
You can read Swole's comments on her departure from the company by clicking here.
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